Classical Conditioning
Chapter 6, Section 1
• Stimulus
• Something that
produces a
reaction, or a
response
• Conditioning
• Learning
Classical Conditioning
• One stimulus calls forth the
response that is usually
called forth by another
stimulus.
• Unconditioned stimulus
(US)
– A stimulus that causes a response that
is automatic , not learned that response
is called..
• Unconditioned Response
(UR)
• Conditioned Response (CR)
– A learned response to a
stimulus that was previously
neutral, or meaningless
• Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
– Learned stimulus
Adapting to the Environment
• Classical conditioning helps organisms adapt
to their surrounding environment.
• Animal learns a scent = danger
Taste Aversion – learned avoidance of a
particular food.
Food makes you ill = avoidance/poisoness
Taste Aversion
learned avoidance of a particular food.
Food makes you ill = avoidance/ could be
poisoned
Extinction
• When a conditioned stimulus is disconnected
from the unconditioned stimulus. The CS no
longer causes a CR
• Spontaneous recovery – When gone for a
while the CS suddenly causes the CR
Generalization
• Responding in the same
way to stimuli that seems to
be similar
• Scared of raccoons and foxes
Discrimination
• Responding differently to
stimuli that are not similar
to each other
Flooding
• A person is exposed to the
harmless stimulus until fear
responses to the stimulus
are extinguished
Systematic desensitization
• To help overcome fears,
people are taught relaxation
techniques and exposed
gradually to the stimulus
they fear.
• Pictures of snakes
• Real snakes from a distance
• Real snakes closer
Counterconditioning
• A pleasant stimulus is
paired with a fearful one
• Treat at the doctor
Bell-and-Pad method
Operant Conditioning
• People and animals learn to do some things
and not others because of the results of what
they do.
B.F Skinner
• “skinner box” – and
animal cage in which
treatments could be
introduced and removed
and the results observed
• Reinforcement - the
process in which a
stimulus increases the
chances that the behavior
will occur again.
Primary and Secondary Enforcers
Positive and Negative Enforcers
• Primary enforcers
• Positive enforcers
– Function due to biological
make-up, do not need to be
taught (food, water, warmth)
• Secondary enforcers
– Must be learned, acquire
value through association
with primary enforcers
(money, attention, social
approval can be exchanged
for primary enforcers
– Increase the behavior
• Negative enforcers
– Are unpleasant
– Increase the frequency of the
behavior by being removed
Rewards
• Like positive reinforcement
increase the behavior
Punishments
• When applied decrease the
frequency of unwanted
behavior hey follow
Schedule of Reinforcements
When and how often reinforcements occur
• Continuous Reinforcement
• Reinforcement of a behavior every time a behavior occurs
• Partial Reinforcement
• Behavior is not reinforced every time it occurs
– Interval schedule
• A period of time must elapse between reinforcements
• Ratio Schedules
– Fixed ratio
• Reward is given after a fixed number of responses
– Variable Ratio
• Reinforcement can come at any time
Application of Operant Conditioning
• Shaping
• Teaching complex behaviors by reinforcing small steps
• Programmed Learning
• Developed by B.F. Skinner
• Based on shaping, tasks are broken down into smaller
steps (each using shaping techniques) each step is then
combined to complete more complicated whole.
• Does not use punishments, instead it reinforces correct
behaviors
• Classroom Discipline